Lingering Echoes
by BBC Addict
Summary: "Now their creators are gone, they've just been left out there, carrying out their purpose—destruction." Follows Sleep.
1. Chapter 1

The TARDIS materialized and Jamie didn't wait for the Doctor before popping outside. "Where are we?" he asked eagerly.

"Let's test out your deductive skills," the Doctor said with a cheeky grin.

Jamie nodded and eagerly scanned his surroundings. "Metal walls. Doors down there. Big." His eye was caught by a large capsule containing some kind of fluid. "Whatever's in there is vibrating, so some kind of motor." He paused for a moment. "Too big for a rocket, so...space ship?"

"Brilliant!" the Doctor exclaimed. He walked in a small circle around the TARDIS, craning his neck as he looked up. "Cargo bay, I'd guess. Hm. 23nd century, 2260 something..." He walked a few more steps before spotting an insignia high on the wall. "Starfleet—part of the United Federation of Planets." He approached the capsule Jamie had seen earlier and read the markings. "Well, Jamie, it looks like we've landed on the _Enterprise_."

* * *

Lt. Uhura turned from the console in front of her. "Security alert in Cargo Bay D, sir. A team is en route."

Cmdr. Spock nodded. "Inform them I am on my way. Lt. Uhura, you have the bridge." Spock strode into the turbolift and the doors hissed shut behind him.

* * *

A dark cloud surrounded the planet Malocious IX. Within moments, all life out-of-doors had suffocated. It took a short while longer for the cloud to work its way through ventilation systems and reach most of those indoors as well. Finally, all that remained of the millions of inhabitants of the planet were a handful of scientists sequestered in a dome that maintained an artificial environment. The cloud was not content to leave them be, however. It gathered itself full force around the dome and waited.

* * *

Spock reached Cargo Bay D just as the four man security team was taking its position. He nodded curtly at Ensign Reed as the indication to proceed. The team proceeded inside in pairs, phasers on stun. They moved stealthily but quickly through the compartment until they came upon two men and a large blue wooden box. "Freeze!" Ensign Reed's voice rang out as he and his partner aimed their phasers. "Beta squad, continue to search!" he called to the other pair.

"Oh, there's no need to look for anymore of us," the Doctor said in a cheerful manner, as if he faced drawn phasers every day. "It's only Jamie and me. Sorry to drop in unannounced like this."

Reed narrowed his eyes and didn't loosen his grip on his phaser. "Orders, sir?" he asked as Spock joined them.

Spock contemplated the pair for a moment. Meanwhile, the Doctor couldn't contain his enthusiasm. "A Vulcan! I love Vulcans!"

Spock cocked an eyebrow. "Search them, Ensign."

Reed nodded. He proceeded to thoroughly pat down the Doctor while Bilson kept his phaser trained on Jamie. Reed found only two objects on the Doctor—a strange rod with a blue light on one end, and a black wallet with a piece of blank paper inside. He displayed them to Spock. Spock took them into his hands and examined each closer. Finally, he returned them to the Doctor. "They do not appear to be weapons."

The Doctor shook his head vigorously. "Always unarmed, that's me."

Reed moved on to Jamie, who was quite vocal about his displeasure. Reed confiscated the dirk he found upon Jamie's person and also handed that over to Spock, who examined it in much the same manner he had the Doctor's possessions. "This appears to be an authentic 18th century weapon, but it does not appear that old. It has not tarnished or rusted. There are no signs of repair. I'll need some tricorder readings."

"That's mine, now give it back!" Jamie demanded.

"Why should I allow an intruder to remain armed?" Spock asked as he clasped his hands behind his back, dirk still in hand.

"Because...well...we're not..." Jamie faltered. "Oh, fine, keep it." He crossed his arms.

The other security team approached. "All clear, sir."

"Very well. Ensign Reed, you will remain here. You three are dismissed."

"Aye, sir," the three men chorused.

"We'll take these men to the captain's quarters, ensign." Spock stepped over to the intercom. "Spock to Lt. Samuels. Report to the captain's quarters with a tricorder." A female voice replied in the affirmative. "Spock to Captain Kirk."

There was a moment of delay. "Kirk here."

"Captain, I have two intruders in custody and I am escorting them to your quarters. We shall arrive in 3.8 minutes."

"Thank you, Mr. Spock. Kirk out."

* * *

As they walked through corridors that appeared identical, Jamie leaned in toward the Doctor. "Why did you not use the psychic paper?" he murmured, nodding toward Spock.

"It wouldn't have worked on him, Jamie."

"You said it works on everyone," Jamie objected.

"Did I?" he queried. "I should've said almost everyone. He's a Vulcan, immune to the suggestion that the psychic paper provides."

"Immune?"

"Many species are born with greater psychic abilities than humans, Jamie. The paper's not strong enough to work on them or on people who've had experience with it."

"Oh," Jamie replied.

Spock appeared unaware of their conversation, but he'd heard every word. _Fascinating._

Right on time, they reached the Captain's quarters. Spock chimed the door and entered at Kirk's invitation. The captain, feeling his quarters to be a bit cramped, instructed Reed to remain on guard outside.

Kirk introduced himself. "I'm Captain James T. Kirk, this is my first officer, Commander Spock. Who might you be?"

"I'm the Doctor and this is Jamie."

"Just the Doctor?" Kirk asked incredulously.

"That's me," the Doctor grinned back.

Kirk shook his head. "Go ahead, Mr. Spock," Kirk said as he seated himself at his desk, studying the intruders.

Spock efficiently reported the incident and handed Jamie's dirk over to Lt. Samuels for analysis. Once he'd finished, Kirk asked, "So, Doctor, how exactly did you get aboard my ship?"

"We came in the TARDIS," Jamie burst out.

"Tardis? What's a tardis?" Kirk looked briefly at Spock, who shook his head.

"It's my ship," the Doctor explained. "Time and Relative Dimension in Space."

Kirk continued to look as confused as ever but Spock seemed to understand. "Your ship, which appears to be a wooden box, travels through space and time?"

"That it does. And let me tell you, it may look like an ordinary wooden box on the outside, but the inside is a completely different story."

"Perhaps you'll have to show us," Kirk ordered in the guise of asking.

"Love to. Allons-y!" the Doctor cried.

Lt. Samuels piped up. "Analysis completed, Mr. Spock. Would you like me to read out the results?"

"Negative, Lieutenant. Put them on a tape. I'll look at them later."

* * *

Doctor Kamrin Jackson somehow managed to remain calm as she stared at the image of the cloud enveloping the dome on the computer monitor while her staff madly manned shouted out pressure readings, temperatures, levels of interference, radiation, toxicity. A voice calling her name finally drew her attention back to the present.

"Doctor Jackson, we've managed to break through to Starfleet, but we won't hold the signal long."

She nodded as she clicked on her radio headset. "This is Doctor Jackson on Malocious IX. A toxic cloud has enveloped the planet. We believe the people in this station are the only ones left alive. We're transmitting what data we have managed to gather. I recommend you do not attempt a rescue." An ominous cracking sound resounded throughout the complex. "Starfleet, have you received the data transmission? Starfleet, do you read?"

With another deafening crack, the dome burst open and the cloud descended upon the helpless inhabitants.

* * *

"Shall we go, gentlemen?" Kirk asked, already heading out the door.

The others had just cleared the entrance when a shrill whistle sounded. "Bridge to Captain Kirk."

"Kirk here."

"Message from Starfleet, Captain. Emergency channel."

"Put it through to my quarters, Lieutenant. Kirk out." He turned to Spock. "You can take the tour with our guests, Mr. Spock. Report back to me on the bridge."

"Acknowledged."

As Kirk disappeared back into his room, Spock looked expectantly at his companions. "I am ready if you are."

Jamie stayed put, eying his dirk. "Can I have that back now?"

Spock handed it over, saying, "I must warn you, any attempt to use it on any member of the _Enterprise_ crew will bring unpleasant consequences."

"I have no intentions of stabbing anyone at the moment. I only use it when I'm attacked meself."

Spock simply inclined his head in acknowledgment and led the way back to the cargo bay.


	2. Chapter 2

Jim Kirk clicked off his video screen and commed the bridge. "Uhura here, sir."

"Set course for Malocious IX, maximum warp. Have department heads meet me in the briefing room. Also make sure Lt Cmdrs Stewart and Lee are there."

"Aye, sir," Uhura replied crisply. A few moments later, she was summoning the officers to the briefing room. Kirk began to head that way, then remembered Spock was probably out of earshot. He decided to find Spock himself, so he hailed a passing crewman to deliver a stack of data tapes to the briefing room along with the instructions that the officers shouldn't wait for him to begin perusing the data.

That done, Kirk made his way to Cargo Bay D. Once he arrived, he glanced around trying to find anything that resembled a ship before he remembered it had been described as a blue wooden box. He finally spotted it and as he approached, he frowned. Both the size and construction of it made the idea of using it as transportation ludicrous. He tried the door but found it would not open. He tried again, pulling this time, but to no avail. He opened the small door on the outside and found an old-style communication device. He tried speaking into it, but there was no response. Finally, he gave up and knocked.

The door swung open and Jamie greeted him. "Oh, decided to come have a look for yourself, did ya?"

Kirk shook his head. "We have an emergency. I need my first officer out here now."

"Aye," Jamie replied. "Do you want to come in and wait while I call them?"

Kirk hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Might as well." He walked up the ramp and found himself in a large coppery chamber facing a control console that made his ship appear simple. He quickly scanned the interior but did not see Spock or the Doctor. "Where are they?"

Jamie laughed. "Och, it's a big ship. I haven't any idea where they've got to. I'm just going to use the intercom." He approached the console and pulled a microphone down from an overhead jumble. "Doctor, the captain's here. He wants Mr. Spock back. It's an emergency." Jamie replaced the microphone and looked over at Kirk. "They should be back in a minute or two."

"How is this possible?" Kirk asked, gesturing to indicate the large space inside the small box.

Jamie laughed again. "I've never understood how any o' these gadgets work. I can operate some of 'em, but I couldna tell ya anything beyond that."

Kirk smiled. "I bet my chief engineer would love to have a look around in here."

"Maybe later, eh?" Jamie asked.

The Doctor and Spock entered before Kirk could reply. "This is a most extraordinary vessel, Captain," Spock began.

"I'm sorry, Spock, it'll have to wait. We've been ordered to Malocious IX to investigate a phenomenon that has just wiped out the entire planet. We're meeting in the briefing room to review the data a science team managed to transmit before they were killed."

The Doctor leaned out from where he'd been standing behind Spock. "Unexplained phenomenon that's wiped out an entire planet you say? It sounds like you might need my help."

Kirk was unconvinced. "Are you a scientist, Doctor?"

The Doctor tilted his head to the side as he replied, "I am when I need to be, and I'm always clever."

"All right, then, come on."

* * *

Jamie and the Doctor remained standing as Kirk and Spock sat down. "Ladies and gentlemen, our job is to find out what this phenomenon is. What do we know?" He looked to Lt Cmdr Stewart to begin.

The young man described the chemical makeup and unusual behavior of the cloud. "In fact, sir, I don't think it's a naturally occurring event. I think it's alive."

The Doctor leaned over Spock's shoulder and studied the data presented on the computer screen. "Do you mind?" he asked as he flipped through page after page at inhuman speeds, not waiting for Spock's answer.

Several people had briefed the captain on their findings and observations when the Doctor interrupted. "The Brigadier's right."

He was met with at least ten surprised faces. "Brigadier?" Kirk asked. _The man's insane._

"Sorry, it's just...you, Lt Cmdr Stewart. You look just him. Sound like him too. Don't you think, Jamie?"

Jamie, who'd kept quiet and let the information wash over his head, started. "Wha—? Oh. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart ya mean? Aye, the spitting image."

The lieutenant commander squirmed uneasily as everyone in the room turned to look at him as if he could explain.

"He was obviously an ancestor of yours," the Doctor said. "Back in London in the late 1900s. Wonderful man. We'll have to pop back and see him sometime. But what I was saying—he was right about this...thing...being alive. It's a jecocyte conglomeration."

"Jecocyte?" Jamie repeated. "What's that?"

"A jecocyte is a microscopic life-form. By itself, pretty harmless. It hangs about in space getting nourishment from the random litter that's floating around up there. But when you get a quindecillion group together like that..." he trailed off, letting the silence speak for him.

"How do they...work?" Stewart asked.

"A jecocyte on its own has one purpose, survive. Two or more have the purpose to reproduce, but that many, in one place...destroy. They were engineered to go unnoticed until their numbers reach a certain point, at which time they attack the nearest planet and leave it devoid of all life."

"Engineered?" Kirk asked.

"Yes. They're a weapon."

"Who would design a weapon that attacks planets at random?" Doctor McCoy demanded.

The Doctor sighed. "A people at war. Lines are drawn and crossed in war. After the war's over, the weapons linger on. It's not the first time I've encountered something like this."

"How do we stop them?" Kirk demanded.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied sadly.


	3. Chapter 3

After Kirk had broken up the briefing, the Doctor began wandering aimlessly up and down the various corridors. Jamie followed, remaining silent for a long time. Finally, he said, "It was the Time Lords who designed those wee beasties, wasn't it?"

"Yes. The Time Lords fought a number of wars centering on controlling time. Horrible things came out of those wars."

"Do you really not know how to stop them?"

"I really don't. I've never encountered them before, I only know the name and their purpose."

The pair continued in silence until the ship stopped for a moment before warping away again.

"Come on, Jamie. Let's go find out why they changed course."

* * *

The Doctor and Jamie breezed onto the bridge after a slight altercation with the turbolift. Kirk turned in his chair. "Those things have attacked another planet. We have to find a way to stop them," he said.

"Can I have a copy of those readings? I have some more advanced equipment in the TARDIS that could do a better analysis."

"Spock," Kirk directed.

"Affirmative." Spock stooped over the controls at the science station for a moment and then handed a tape to the Doctor.

"Thanks. We'll be back in a jiffy," he said as he and Jamie headed for the TARDIS. "Oh," he frowned, "don't let me say that again."

* * *

Once the Doctor had run the data through the TARDIS, he dove down under the floor grating into his cluttered storage compartments. He threw several objects up to Jamie and then slammed the grating closed. "All set, Jamie!"

They left the TARDIS and then the cargo bay in search of Mr. Spock. They found him at his station on the bridge. "How long until we arrive?" the Doctor asked.

"1.34 hours," was the answer.

"I've managed to discover what we need to knock the little buggers out."

Spock nodded. "Captain, perhaps we should adjourn to the briefing room."

Kirk agreed. "Sulu, you have the conn."

Once they'd regrouped in the briefing room, Kirk spoke first. "Doctor, that some of my crew seem to think you're somehow connected to these jecocytes."

The Doctor sighed. "That's a common reaction. I always turn up at the same time trouble does." Jamie nodded. "It's the TARDIS. She takes me where the trouble is."

Spock interjected. "While it is a possibility that the Doctor is responsible, Captain, it is not a certainty and we should not treat it as so without definitive evidence."

"Of course, you're right, Spock," Kirk conceded. "I would never condemn a man unfairly. Tell us what you've found out, Doctor."

"The jecocytes are all interconnected. They each generate a weak electrical field that binds them together. If we could generate a powerful enough shock, it should disrupt their field and break them apart, if not kill them."

"How powerful are we talking? Could a phaser blast or a torpedo do it?" Kirk asked.

The Doctor shook his head. "No, those would only punch a hole through the mass. We'd need something along the lines of 3 million volts. Very difficult to create, but that's not the biggest problem. Delivery is the real issue."

Spock picked up the train of thought. "These creatures feed on any type of matter?" The Doctor nodded. "They'd destroy any device we sent in before it could discharge."

The Doctor, Spock, and Kirk fell silent, mulling the issue over. Jamie rocked up on his toes a few times, waiting to see if they would come up with anything. Finally, he said, "Could ya not design it so that it wouldn't work until certain parts of it were destroyed?"

The Doctor stared at Jamie for a long moment. "You're brilliant, you are." He slapped Jamie on the back and grinned before turning back to Spock. He began rattling off ideas about constructing the shock-delivering device as he pulled gadgets and tools and, of course, the sonic screwdriver, out of his pockets. Jamie, unable to follow all the complex details, stepped back and let the Doctor and Spock do their work.


	4. Chapter 4

Some time later, Kirk checked in. "Spock, how's it coming?"

"I believe the concept will work, Captain."

"How long? We've received word from Starfleet that another planet has just been attacked."

Spock briefly looked at the Doctor, who just shrugged. "I am unable to determine how much more time we will require."

"That's not good enough, Mr. Spock. Every planet in this quadrant is at risk."

"Excuse me," the Doctor chimed in. "Sorry. Hi. This is the third planet that's been attacked. That should be enough to find some sort of path or pattern."

"My best men are working on it but they haven't determined. It seems to be completely random."

"Well, no offense, but I haven't seen all the data yet."

"You're supposed to be busy working on the device."

"I know, but I can multitask. I am brilliant, after all."

"Very well. I'll have the data transferred to your computer terminal. Kirk out."

A moment later the computer flickered to life its feminine mechanical voice began to read out reports. The Doctor frowned in concentration, neglecting the jumble of components in front of him.

Jamie furrowed his brow. "All those high readings are metals, aren't they?" he asked.

The Doctor snapped his fingers. "They are. And if they happened to be put together in the correct amounts, the resulting compound would be remarkably similar to dalekanium."

"Dalekanium as in the Daleks?" Jamie asked.

"Oh, yes. It makes sense...a weapon designed to decimate any planet containing materials the Daleks could use to rebuild..."

"Daleks? I am unfamiliar with that name," Spock said.

"The Daleks are a race with only one goal—exterminate everything that is not Dalek. They're mutants in armor, but they're geniuses. Anyway, the jecocytes were originally designed to use against the Daleks. Now their creators are gone, they've just been left out there, carrying out their purpose—destruction."

"And now that we know what they do, we can predict where they'll attack next," Jamie said.

"Spock?" the Doctor said expectantly.

Spock didn't reply, he merely moved to the computer and gave it a series of instructions. A few moments later, the computer read out a short list of planets that the jecocytes could possibly head to next. Spock called the bridge. "Captain, we have some idea of what planets are in danger."

* * *

The _Enterprise_ had once again changed course—a fourth planet was under attack.

The Doctor scrambled to finish assembling the shock-delivery device. Spock was not scrambling—far too emotional a description for a Vulcan—but he was operating at maximum efficiency. More than once had Spock been startled out of his calm demeanor. Once he had voiced an objection to the Doctor's haphazard construction methods, stating, "Logic dictates that an object assembled in this hurried manner will not function properly."

The Doctor had merely replied, "Logic, Mr. Spock, merely allows one to be wrong with authority," and turned his attention back to fiddling with a 'doohickey.' Jamie had not been able to repress a loud guffaw as he remembered another occasion where the Doctor had said those words.

With a final tweak, the Doctor straightened up and declared, "There! It's done!" He held the device aloft and Jamie examined it. "Ya're sure it'll work?" he asked skeptically.

"Of course it'll work, Jamie. Have a little faith."

Jamie just shrugged. "If ya say so."

Spock once again called the bridge and Kirk instructed them to meet him in the transporter room. The Doctor and Jamie followed as Spock led them yet again through the endless identical corridors.

The doors to the transporter room hissed open as they entered. Kirk was waiting behind a control console with another man. "Scotty's going to beam that...thing...right into the center of the jecocyte cloud," Kirk explained.

"The shock this device will generate will be enormous, Captain," Spock informed him. "I suggest the moment transport is complete we move as far away as possible."

Scotty waved a hand. "Way ahead of ya there, Mr. Spock. I've got the computer set to warp away the same second the device has materialized."

Kirk nodded to Spock, who took the device from the Doctor and placed it on the transporter pad. He stepped down and Kirk gave the command. "Energize."

Scotty steadily slid the switches upward and the device dematerialized with a wail in a glow of yellowish light.

A minute later, Sulu's voice said, "Detonation, Captain."

"How do we know if it worked?" Jamie whispered.

"The old wait and see," the Doctor said.

After a long moment of suspense, Uhura's voice broke the silence. "I'm receiving radio signals from the planet, sir. The cloud has disappeared."

Everyone in the transporter room heaved a collective sigh of relief. Kirk stepped to the intercom. "Kirk to bridge. Uhura, inform Starfleet the threat's been neutralized. My report will follow shortly. Kirk out."

The crisis over, Spock said, "Captain, I'd like to resume my examination of the Doctor's ship. The level of technology is impressive."

"I wouldn't mind joining you, Mr. Spock, if the Doctor doesn't mind."

"Not at all. The more the merrier I say," the Doctor said with a grin.

* * *

As the tour concluded, the Doctor leaned against the control console and rest a hand fondly on the central column. "Tell me, Mr. Spock, did you ever manage to work out the puzzle of Jamie's dirk?"

"The most logical explanation is that you and the young man traveled back in time to the period when the weapon was made and brought it back with you."

"Close, Mr. Spock. Jamie brought the dirk with him when he began traveling with me."

Spock raised both eyebrows. "The young man is from the 18th century?"

"Aye," Jamie said, his voice just a bit challenging.

"Fascinating. I would not expect an individual from that time to be able to cope with such concepts as space and time travel."

The Doctor smiled fondly at Jamie. "He's a remarkable lad. Aren't you, you hairy-legged Highlander?"

Jamie made a face. "Call me any name ya like and see how ya like it when I'm not there to get ya out of your next mess."

* * *

**A/N: And there you have it, folks. Please let me know if something's unclear, spelled wrong, missing, etc. I don't always catch those things by myself.**


End file.
